For Kijuju
by We're Oscar Mike
Summary: A short fic involving a friendship between Carlos Oliveira, Josh Stone and Sheva Alomar.


Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters. They belong to CAPCOM's Resident Evil/Biohazard series.

***WARNING! Spoiler Alert for Resident Evil 6!*** 

* * *

July 20th, 2014...

City of Kijuju, West Africa...

05:30:00 P.M...

"Where is the help the B.S.A.A. promised us?" This hurting voice, beholding a thick African accent, belonged to the West African Captain, Josh Stone...

Outfitted in the same standard B.S.A.A. beige unfirom, those eyes of dark brown observed the scene before him as he stood within a towering outpost that overlooked the central district of Kijuju, a city still struggling to recover from the effects of Albert Wesker's global saturation threat. The effects were as Josh saw them underneath the blazing sun of Africa on this humid afternoon

Demolished buildings and debris still obstructed some of dirt roads...

A Bazaar lacking food and supplies was in immediate need for more inventory...

An oil facility, destroyed, was empty of the valuable source needed to fuel the machinery to repair the Kikuku...

The water system was on it's last stretch, perhaps one more day as Josh feared...

And the dramatic effect were the countless homes turned into rubble, forcing families and citizens to live out in the streets.

Yet through all this pain, through all the sorrow, through all the odds, Josh could not help but to softly smile at his brethren come together to repair the city themselves. Ordinary people with no construction expertise were hammering away, putting the pieces back the best they could with the supplies they had to work with. Even in the Bazaar, merchants gave their last stock to the starving families,as they, too, were suffering, but to see the children happy was more than enough to forget the aspects of business in a time of depression.

Life was difficult, and it always been for Josh, and the one making her way up the outpost. Once arriving at the top, Josh caught the sound of boots stepping over the wooden surface. It eventually came to a stop behind him, and what Josh saw next were hands appearing over his eyes in a little game shared only between them.

"Guess who?" Josh heard the woman's voice embedded with a rich African accent that was no thicker than his, and he ultimately smiled warmly as he took his first guess.

"Let me think, now...just who could it be?" Josh began sarcastically, much to the one giggling behind him. "Ah. that could only be my little sista'."

The hands covering his eyes had retreated back, giving Josh the chance to turn around and see for himself that he was indeed right. There stood Sheva Alomar, in the attire she had wore during her operation with the famous hero of the world, Chris Redfield, wearing the tribal collar, armbands and the looped earrings swaying to a sudden breeze that also caused her two front bangs and ponytail to flutter

With a tender smile, Sheva titled her head to the side while folding her hands behind her waist. "So, let me take a hard guess, you're up here because you are contemplating our situation, correct?"

Josh releases a soft chuckle. "Can't get anything past you, I should have known better."

Sheva laughs in a sweet melody to Josh's ears, watching her straighten to a normal posture of having her arms resting at her sides. Sheva then goes on to join Josh's side by the railing of the outpost, both staring out to the city and it's civilians going about their day as any other, but hoping for the moment where help would arrive.

Sheva knew this is what haunted Josh's mind, and with a small smile, Sheva turns her focus to Josh. "I'm sure help is on it's way any moment now. Just have faith in Chris and Jill. They would never abandon us."

"I know, Sheva, but..." Josh pauses in a showing of sorrow before flashing a glare to Sheva that took her by surprise. "...but just how long do we have to keep waiting, Sheva? It has been years, and still, no progress has been made. Yet, both Edonia and Lashang have already managed to recover. Just why is that?"

Sheva glanced away sadly to the distant blue horizon, having no answer to what was true. "I...do not know, Josh**."**

"Exactly. There is no explanation for it." Josh shot back. "Edonia is in Russia. Lashang is in China. both are powerhouse countries able to recover on their own. So why? Why is it that Kijuju has not been treated as the other cities victimized by bioterrorism? Why do we continue to suffer?"

No words came to Sheva for this brief moment, just her eyes settling back onto Josh as she now knew what angered him. "Are you saying politics are involved? That we are not rich as Russia and China is the reason why we haven't received any help?"

"Is it so damn hard to believe!?" Josh countered swiftly, but was met with a harsh slap across his right cheek, sending him stumbling a step back in the outpost.

Quickly, a startled Josh raised his right hand to his stinging cheek while gazing at the furious woman standing before him. "You think Chris and Jill would abandon us for money?! Because of political means?! They are struggling themselves! They have their own problems! You know just as much as I do how devastated Chris was of Piers's death!"

Josh does not respond as he stares to the ground with a guilty heart, yet, Sheva persist stronger than ever. "They are our friends, Josh. Chris and Jill would do no such thing as to abandon us. Ever."

At the conclusion of her words, Sheva watches Josh raise his head to look into her fiery eyes, however, there is no response, only both turning to the sudden whirring sound of helicopters approaching, and sure enough, Josh, Sheva and all of Kijuju caught the sight of help arriving by the numbers.

Several B.S.A.A. Helicopters were seen airlifting containers full of construction material and various supplies. While on the ground, B.S.A.A. humvees carrying food, and tankers holding water and oil had roared through the African soil, kicking up the dirt along their path towards the city that reacted in a burst of joy as families and civilians gathered their loved ones before running for envoy, hollering out with cheers and smiles on their faces.

For the pair in the outpost, there was disbelief between Josh and Sheva, but quickly did Sheva erupt into a heartfelt laugh while clinging to Josh's side. "I told you, did I not?!"

Josh sheds his surprised gaze to Sheva as she continues happily. "I told you Chris and Jill would not abandon us! I told you!"

Josh lets out a chuckle, but as he and Sheva turn to see the group of helicopters flying past the outpost, the emblem they see on the side astonish them both...it was not the North American emblem they saw, but the emblem of the South American branch. And this sight alone causes Sheva to lose all her happiness for nervousness.

Josh, however, sustains his happiness to realize that it was a certain South American that helped with a gaze to the startled Sheva, Josh had smiled. "It was neither Chris, nor Jill...it was Carlos."

Sheva has no words, and Josh now turns his smile into a smirk. "Let's go greet our friend. I'm sure Carlos is awaiting you."

With that, Josh headed for the ladder leading down the outpost. Meanwhile, Sheva had stayed in her position, watching one of the helicopters land just outside Kijuju and it's cabin door slide open to reveal the former Umbrella mercenary himself. At first glance, a wave of disbelief sets over her as she sees Carlos Oliveira, but little by little, a smile forms on Sheva's lips to see Carlos once again...wearing his standard B.S.A.A. uniform as Josh but having the sleeves tucked by the shoulders in his own traditional fashion.

Nonetheless, there he was...making the small jump from the helicopter, onto the soil of Africa.

And Sheva could only utter his name softly. "Carlos..."

For Carlos, it was as if he heard her whispering voice in the distance, his jade green eyes searching the city out in the distance that fails to find her. Nevertheless, Carlos kneels down to swipe his gloved hand across the ground, gathering a patch of dirt into his palm as the numerous B.S.A.A. operatives and medical personnel of South America begin setting up their medical camps and shelters for the many civilians rushing up to them.

Each civilian, each family, received the help they desperately needed as they were all attended to by Doctors. Those starving and thirsty made their way to the shelters to slowly digest the food and drink the refreshing water. Fun was also plain to see through the children running with new toys and kicking a soccer ball that was brand new. It was sight that should have brought happiness to Carlos, but knowing how many years Kijuju had been alone to suffer, brought only pain to Carlos...who had shifted his hand to let the dirt fall back to the Earth.

Carlos dusted his hands together as he straightened himself, sighing into the wind that caused his mahogany hair to sway...but immediately after, a small contact occurs over his right boot. He takes a glance down, and what Carlos sees is a soccer ball. The former mercenary then looks straight to see a group of children, all of them silent as they stood in shyness.

Carlos, in his brash nature, smiled as he placed his boot over the ball, only to reverse it onto the tip of his boot. He then kicked the ball into the air before settling himself in the right position to juggle the soccer ball with his forehead, producing awes and cheers from the children who were no longer shy, but amazed from Carlos's soccer trick.

As he continued to juggle the ball, Carlos spots Josh from the corner of his eye, and on cue, Carlos lets the ball drop before kicking it over to Josh. He receives the sudden pass by controlling the ball with his left boot, and he follows it up with a quick pass to the children, each and every one happily laughing as they went off to chase after it...leaving Josh to laugh warmly at the sight.

Josh then turns to Carlos's arrival. "Nice handle of the pass, Josh. Thought that would got by you."

Josh crosses his arms and smirks. "I'm no amateur. I was once a highly touted prospect. It is not called the world's game for nothing. After all, football is not only perfected by you Brazilians."

How could Carlos not chuckle at the compliment, but soon enough, he extends his right hand out. "It's good to see you again, Josh, just wish I could made it sooner."

Josh gives one glance down to Carlos's hand before coming to embrace Carlos as if he was his brother. This takes Carlos by surprise, yet, he settles into the embrace...both ending it with strong pats against the other's back as they pulled away.

"It is good to see you as well, Carlos." Said a content Josh, looking around at the operatives and personnel tend to the people before asking: "Just...what is all this about?"

"What, the help?" Carlos says nonchalantly, surprising his friend even more. "Ah, it's nothing, Josh. We're just doing our part."

"It's nothing?" Josh repeated Carlos's words. "Carlos, this is more than nothing, it is everything to these people...my people. Just how were you able to get the B.S.A.A. to pass this?"

"It wasn't the B.S.A.A." That answer from Carlos alone shocks Josh. "It was just us, the South American branch. We pulled in half of our reserves, and I hope what we brought is enough. We brought water. We brought food. We brought everything. And we will be here for as long as you need us. I only wish we could've done this sooner. We both know how it is to be raised without running water."

"Carlos, my friend..." Josh begins as he places his hands over Carlos's shoulders. "...it is more than enough. Because of you, my people know how it is to truly smile once again. On behalf of Kijuju and all of Africa, I thank you, my brother."

At the term 'Brother', Carlos had come to smile...and then arrived a familiar voice softly calling out to him.

"Carlos..." Both Carlos and Josh turn in the direction of the voice, spotting Sheva Alomar at the city's gates just feet away, standing in a timid manner of rubbing her right arm in gentle strokes whilst her bronze cheeks blossomed pink

Upon seeing her, Carlos calls out to her just as soft as she had done for him. "Sheva..."

They were both locked in a long and deep stare, as if they were searching into the depths of the other's heart and mind, delving into the other's soul and losing themselves there. Taking consideration of this was Josh, who grinned to see Sheva react in a way when only around Chris Redfield. So to break this long state, Josh raised his right hand over his lips and made the sound of clearing his throat.

"Ahem."

Carlos, and the blushing Sheva, had both looked to Josh in all their shock, causing him to laugh in response to the look on their respective faces, but his laughter would eventually fade into a smile.

"Since help has arrived, this calls for a celebration: tribal style, of course!" With that cheerful shout from Josh, Carlos had smiled, but for Sheva, she's sadden as she hoped to be with Carlos...alone. 

* * *

10:00:00 P.M.

It was well into the night, and the repairs to Kijuju continued on with the workers giving it their all, but for the people that suffered years of abadonment, tonight was a night to celebrate. They had flocked to a tribal village dwelling within a forest, and it was here where the celebrations were taking place around a large bonfire in the center.

Warriors wearing their tribal masks danced to the drumming rythym of their ancestors.

Families sat together just outside their huts, eating food as they watched the festivities play out.

Others, such as young adults, were simply in various conversations, causing indistinct chatter to mix itself with the beating drums of the performers.

As for the guest of honor, Carlos sat at the center part of the lengthy chief's table, to which he was amazed that the Chief was Josh himself. And here they were, both sitting on the grassy terrain with legs crossed as they were in a competive game of drinking. As of now, those watching the scene cheered for their Chief, but not taking joy in the game was Sheva, who stood at the distant hilltop overlooking the village below...watching in her sadness how Josh had forced Carlos in to playing his games.

Thus, Sheva watches the ending of both men slamming their wooden mugs down over the table. With that, a small portion of alcohol remained in Carlos's mug, while Josh emptied all of his, giving way for him and his people to erupt into cheers.

"I win!" Josh growled out, bringing about more cheers before settling himself back down by Carlos.

Through a heavy chuckle in watching how Carlos face-palm himself in a daze, Josh placed a hand over his friend's shoulder. "So, how is African beer treating my Latin friend?"

"Ugh...not so good." Groaned Carlos just he dropped his hand from his face. "African beer is brutal."

Another laugh comes from Josh. "I agree, it takes quite a toll. Just ask Chris, he can be a rough customer when drunk."

That gets Carlos cackling and Josh laughing loudly, but both of their laughter eventually vanished at the thought of Chris. Josh had kicked himself mentally for this, knowing the recent headline across the world was on the forefront of Carlos's mind. But Josh pressed forward in hoping to relieve his friend through words.

"Chris and Jill's wedding is in three days..." Josh commences softly while the celebrations continued on in the background, failing to get a response from Carlos whom merely stares at the alcohol in his mug just as Jill's smiling face flashed in his mind.

"Will you be attending the wedding?" Josh asked, receiving no words as Carlos slowly shook his head

As a result, Josh sighs. "Jill will be disappointed to hear you decline. Sheva has done same."

This gets Carlos attention, and he turns to focus on Josh with widen eyes. "Sheva...is not going?"

"No." Josh begins remorsefully. "She has made it clear that she has a operation to finish, but we both know the real reason why she will not go."

Carlos looks away to the dancing flames of the bonfire and softly guessed the right answer behind Sheva's reason to not attend the wedding. "It's because of Chris, isn't it?"

"Yes." Josh sighed out. "She loved Chris, I sensed this every time she was near him, and the news of his wedding devastated her. I never seen her so broken before, but she still admires him. I tell her to move on, yet, she holds on to hope."

Through the entire stretch of listening to Josh, Carlos's green eyes never wavered from the flames, all as he thought now of only Sheva, a woman he had become great friends in the years they had known one another through Jill introducing them. It was also how he met Josh.

Carlos continues to flounder in these thoughts of his, but then Josh smirks in knowing the right way to get his attention, and that was to put him in the spotlight. Hence, Josh rose up to his feet and spoke loudly with his mug raised.

"My brothers and sisters, hear me!" The moment Josh speaks these words, everyone halted what their actions to focus on their Chieftain, but from Carlos's perspective, he looks up at Josh from his seated position.

"Today, we celebrate the moment in which Kijuju was not alone! We come together not as strangers, but as brothers and sisters to those who helped us! And we thank them now as one! Not because they came as operatives, but as family to all of Africa!"

Josh stops here to spare a gaze downwards to Carlos, shifting his mug towards him. "Carlos, my brother...I have thanked you privately. Now, let me thank you in front of my people...thank you, Carlos, for not forgetting us."

With that conclusion to Josh's speech, everyone else had followed Josh's action of taking a drink in toast to Carlos. Even the children had flocked torwards him to thank him in their native language. Carlos was one to avoid the spotlight, but he was ever grateful for their compassion, much so to Josh. So in return, Carlos stands up and also raises his mug in a toasting fashion.

"To the people of Africa, the entire world, and to our lost loved ones...to Piers Nivans."

Josh's smile spreads further, not amazed that Carlos would never forget to honor Piers, and he joins Carlos in this salute. "To Piers." 

* * *

01:30:00 A.M.

Several hours later, it was Carlos and Josh sitting alone around the bonfire with the others having gone to rest in their huts.

They continued drinking as they sat across from another past the bonfire, both sitting over lengthy wooden logs as they laughed away into the night, exchanging warmhearted jokes and old stories. Such as the one they were currently laughing about; a story about Piers...

"Do you remember when Piers became an operative?". Josh had asked in the midst of his laughter.

Carlos did indeed remember, and he humbly smiled. "I was the one who told Chris to check this kid out in the academy. Sniper stability. Handgun precision. Piers had all the works."

"Did he ever." Josh agreed with a chuckle as a another memory came to mind. "How about the time when Piers flirted with Chris's younger sister, Claire? Now those were headlines!"

Carlos joined Josh in laughing, but the more they thought of Piers, the more the sadness shadowed over them, causing their laughter to dwindle. Both Carlos and Josh lowered their gaze to the dirt surface of the village, not one saying a word as they thought of the own memories they shared between Piers.

For Josh, the memory was him and Piers standing in front of a hill overlooking the vast Savannah plains, explaining to the young operative how to be composed.

For Carlos, the memory was him giving flirting tips to Piers at headquarters, which he regret as female operatives tossed their of cups of water at Piers' face.

After their respective memories of Piers, Josh had looked past the flames of the bonfire to see Carlos sadden, and thats when he asks: "You mourn Piers death as much as Chris, do you not?"

Carlos keeps his head down, but he nods for his answer.

Josh smiles to know how Carlos truly cared for operatives of other branches, and thus, he had to know just how important he was to the one he considered a brother.

"Do you not see that you and Chris are alike, Carlos?" Josh asked softly, bringing about Carlos to look through the flames and meet Josh's brown eyes. "Both you and Chris cannot take the ordeal of having lost comrades. You and Chris treat them as brothers, but I wonder...would you grieve for me in the same way?"

Carlos does not answer until he breaks into his usual nature of chuckling. "Josh, I think the beer has finally gotten to you, buddy."

Josh did not chuckle along with his friend, he merely kept his firm expression that now got to Carlos, whom stopped his chuckling once realizing that Josh spoke from the heart. So, in return, Carlos also speaks from the same location of his own heart.

"Josh...nothing is going to happen. You'll be fine. What you should be worry about is asking Sheva that question. She'll slap you across the face, and trust me,it's not pretty. I got one from Jill back in Raccoon City."

Josh erupted into laughter, but little by little, he gradually settled in to a warm smile. "Please, Carlos...just answer my question? Would you mourn me?"

Carlos stares at Josh for a good brief moment before smiling himself. "I would mourn you as a brother."

For Josh, that was all he needed to hear. He said nothing as he rose up to his feet, only to make his way past the bonfire and the log where Carlos sat, who peered over his own shoulder to see Josh come to a stop feet away.

"Regarding my question, it wasn't necessarily about me, but more about my little sista'. If I were to die, Sheva would be truly alone, but I now feel comfort in knowing you would be there for her. So, for me, Carlos...watch over her, protect her...and don't ever make her cry like Chris had done."

At the conclusion, Josh peered over his own shoulder as Carlos had done, and with his smile present, Josh speaks his farewell. "The night is getting late. I will be resting in my quarters within Kijuju. Whenever you decide to call it a night, take the hut at the top of the hill."

Carlos turns to see the hut for himself located at the hill's peak, which was bigger than the other huts around the village. He immediately realized it to be that of Josh's, and Carlos turns back to him in the midst of speaking.

"Hey, isn't that hut-

Carlos does not finish when realizing Josh had left, and he could only chuckle softly. "Goodnight to you, too, Josh."

Now alone, Carlos turned back to the flames of the bonfire, but he alone felt the effects of the alcohol coming back to affect him. His vision became dazed as his eyes became heavy. Carlos then responded by raising his right hand against face, letting out a weary groan against his palm

"Ugh...I don't think I'm gonna' make it top that hill."

"Serves you right." Sheva's voice had suddenly arrived.

Carlos stiffened up in his seat over the log, instatly dropping his hand from his face to catch the beautiful, yet, lethal, B.S.A.A operative standing before him. It was Sheva Alomar, a smiling Sheva Alomar at that, dressed in a brown tribal robe with that hugged her hourglass form with knee-high splits on each side. This exposed the black leggings she wore and the brown sandals that exposed her toes. As for the accessories, they were not to be missed as she wore her favorite collar and armbands.

However, in her hands, was a wooden bowl of steamy liquid...and she knelt down in front of Carlos to extend the bowl to him.

"Here...drink, Carlos." Sheva said softly.

Carlos does indeed take the wooden bowl into his hands where he begins to observe the flowing contents that released a heavenly aroma, letting the steamy vapor rise to his face. "What is it, Sheva."

"It is a remedy of mine." Carlos looks straight into her eyes when she reveals her words through a smile. "Do be careful, though. It is hot.".

Carlos smiles with her, and with no more wait, Carlos raised the wooden bowl to his lips with both hands, tilting to take gentle sips of the rich and soothing remedy that worked instant wonders in curing the effects of the alcohol from Carlos's system. And with that, Carlos lowered the bowl to his lap and gave a look of disbelief to Sheva.

She warmly laughed to see his eyes blink. "Well? Feeling any better?"

"Any better?" Carlos repeated before breaking into a small chuckle. "Sheva, this remedy is amazing. What did you make this from?"

Sheva presented another warm laugh as she sat herself beside Carlos on the log, tucking her robe underneath her before sitting. "Thank you for the compliment. As for your answer, the remedy has grounded medicinal herbs grown here in Africa. I added a touch of spices as well to add flavor, but for my secret ingredient, well...it is secret."

They laugh together at this point, but as it dwindled, they smiled at one another until Carlos's stare became too much for Sheva, whom's bronzed cheeks blossomed a pink shade in a blush. Quickly, she looked away as silence had filled the atmosphere around them. Both gazed into the flames of the bonfire as they listened to the only noise being made in the form of the gentle wind swooping in to cause the trees to rustle around the settlement, and also, the cackling of the burning wood within the bonfire.

The silence persisted, not because they rarely met alone, but because they knew what the other was thinking: Chris and Jill's wedding. With that haunting their respective hearts and minds, Sheva could not stop the smiling face of Chris Redfield appearing deep in her thoughts. Carlos suffered the same with Jill's smiling face plaguing him, but enough was enough for the former mercenary.

He sat the bowl aside him on the log, and spoke in a low voice to shatter the long silence. "Umm...thanks, Sheva...for the remedy and all."

Sheva does not turn to face him, but she does smile into the flames. "You are most welcome, but I should be the one thanking you for helping Kijuju. So...thank you, Carlos. Just one thing, do be careful next time. Josh tends to overdo the drinking games."

"I'll be sure to remember that." Carlos again chuckles faintly, as does Sheva.

Both then go on to watch the flames while the silence starts to absolve them yet again, but it was Sheva who broke the quietness through a sadden voice. "Will you be attending the wedding, Carlos?"

In an instant, Carlos turns to Sheva and sees the sorrow painting her face. This hurts him dramatically, and Carlos is truthful in his response to Sheva with a lone word. "No."

A soft and startling gasp escapes between Sheva's lips, now turning to catch Carlos looking down to the rich brown Earth. "I won't be going, Sheva. I'm not one for weddings."

"I...see." Sheva did not buy his excuse, nor did she further push him for the truth. She only looked to the ground in sorrow as Carlos was doing.

It was now Carlos's turn to ask Sheva of her choice to attend the wedding, but having already heard the answer from Josh, Carlos asks anyway in an effort to keep the silence at-bay.

"So, how about you, Sheva?"

"Hm?" Sheva blinks her eyes to him, and he asks again.

"Are you heading to the wedding?"

Sheva glances to the side as she could not bear to look Carlos in the eyes as hers begun to burn in developing tears. But always as she was, Sheva stood strong and revealed her answer through a quivering voice.

"No...it will be too much for me to handle. I...I wouldn't be able to smile to see Chris and Jill together like that. Smiling. Laughing. Holding. Kissing. All the ways I wanted it to be with Chris have been shifted upon Jill, but...I honestly try...I honestly try to be happy for them, but I can't!"

As Sheva ended with that last cry, Carlos saw the tears now beginning to stream down her flushed cheeks, clutching her own shoulders that trembled from the sobs escaping one by one. Sheva was now broken, and Carlos was the one witnessing it with a saddened gaze. Yet, for him, words were difficult to find at this moment of sorrow.

Sheva, however, fights back the sobs to spill more of her broken heart with eyes up to the crescent moon. "When I lost my parents, I felt alone all my life. But since meeting Chris, I never felt alone. It was perfect, but now it is a disaster. I'm empty, while Jill is complete. How am I supposed to feel, Carlos? Tell me, just how?"

Her African accent became more visible when saddened as Carlos listened to her every word, and he remains silent no longer...

"Happiness." With that word alone Carlos, Sheva turns to him with her flushed face, seeing him with his head bent down. "I know it's hard to feel happy for them. Hell, I'm in the same boat as you are, but we'll slowly get to shore and start anew. Life doesn't end here, so take a deep breath and overcome whatever gets thrown your way, because we still have a long way to go. But know this, you're not alone."

At the heartfelt advice given to her, Sheva could not believe that such words came from the brash womanizer, but from this shock, Sheva had erupted into a wave of small giggles that grew into a tender laugh. Carlos's right eyebrow shot up as he looked to Sheva, who was no longer dwelling in sorrow, but swelling with happiness as she laughed on with arms wrapped around her own stomach.

Carlos's plan of making Sheva happy was a success, but with a smile, he still had to ask. "What? Just what's so funny, Sheva?"

Gradually, Sheva toned down her laughter into small giggles. Once she did, Sheva used her right wrist to swipe away the left over tears before gazing back to Carlos with the redness still surrounding her eyes. Even so, Sheva brightly smiles on...

"Forgive me, Carlos, I just did not expect you, of all people, to say such wise and uplifting words in such a poetic fashion."

The former mercenary took offense in the sarcastic way by playfully arguing her comment. "Hey, I take that as an insult. Comforting women is my forte', just not the poetry."

Sheva had laughed once again at his joking statement, but as her laughter dimmed lower and lower, she had come to the stunning realization that Carlos had made her forget entirely about the wedding and her sadness that came along with it. She now found herself smiling and moving on with a stronger heart than ever before, clinging to Carlos' side in looping both her arms around his right.

Carlos is frozen stiff upon contact, having nothing to say to see Sheva gazing up at him with a vibrant smile that was different from her others. "Poetry or not, It does not matter. What you said helped me; to be happy for my friends. I love both Chris and Jill, and that's what matters. I wish them the best."

It takes him a while, but Carlos chuckles a soft one. "So do I, Sheva...I wish them the best."

A connection, a link, an emotional bond is born between the Sheva and Carlos, a bond made from the shattered pieces of their broken hearts and broken dreams of the future. Each passing second they shared staring happily at the other was another stone to laying the foundation of a bond that will last as far as their love will take it. As of now, Sheva laid the first building block that marked the beginning of that bond by affectionately resting her head against Carlos' shoulder.

For the man at her side, Carlos had followed her lead, resting his cheek atop her head as both were now doing what they had done in the start, which was gazing at the blazing bonfire continuing to crackle away into the night. Neither said a word in this blissful atmosphere around them, having put Chris and Jill in the past, together.

Watching them from within the shadows of the surrounding forest was Josh himself, happy as any brother would be to see their sister smile once again.

"Sheva..." He whispers her name. "...you are no longer alone."


End file.
